By Richard Thomas Rating: A- As it has been years since I last wrote about the brand, a brief background summary of Lock, Stock and Barrel is called for. The brand is owned by Cooper Spirits, a company founded in 2006. Cooper Spirits is an independent bottler, reliant upon sourced spirits, but knowing their foundation …
By Kurt Maitland Rating: A Old Forester is a well known (one could safely say iconic) brand of Kentucky straight bourbon whisky produced by the Brown–Forman Corporation. It was the first bourbon sold exclusively in sealed bottles, first bottled and marketed in 1870 by the former pharmaceutical salesman turned bourbon-merchant prince, George Garvin Brown. The …
Updated June 23, 2025 By Randall H. Borkus Average Rating: A- The Michter’s team has been making quality whiskey since the 1990s, but the 2015 inaugural release of Michter’s Barrel Strength Rye was the start of something special. The rye distillate enters the barrel at 103 proof, an expensive choice for aging, yet one that …
By Richard Thomas Rating: A- Two weeks ago, Maker’s Mark launched its latest whisky, and in so doing made a major departure from the way things are done down in Loretto, Kentucky. That is because the newest bottle from Maker’s Mark is a new brand representing two brand new distillates in a (for them) a …
By Douglas Fraser Rating: A- Lindores Abbey is known in Scotland as being the birthplace of Scotch Whisky. The actual abbey site hosts the oldest evidence for distilling in Scotland, supported by both archaeological evidence abbey documents. These include a written order for a Friar named John Cor to make “acqua vitae” for King James …
By Richard Thomas Rating: A- The Non-Distiller Producer (NDP) called 15 Stars is a post-Pandemic foundation. Started in 2021 by a father and son team, Rick and Ricky Johnson, their first bottlings came out in late 2022. The Johnsons are a Columbus, Indiana family that is best known for their ownership of Black Jewell Popcorn, …
By Richard Thomas Rating: A- In the latest release from its Orphan Barrel series, drink conglomerate Diageo returns the series to its roots by delivering an ultra-aged bourbon in the form of Fanged Pursuit 17 Year Old. The word about how Diageo sourced this is obscure, but the company says it came from two separate …
By Douglas Fraser Rating: A Sagamore Spirits is known for making its rye whiskey in Baltimore. Time and time again, Sagamore aims to outdo themselves and create something better than what they have done before. This latest expression is no different. This Maryland rye whiskey distillery sets the standard for rye whiskey everywhere. Sagamore Spirits …
By Randall H. Borkus Rating: A Bardstown’s Preservation Distillery has previously released fabulous-but-sourced whiskey sourced from Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee and Canadian. Recently, they departed onto the well-trod path of blending those sourced stocks their own distillate, produced in their pot still in Bardstown. Just months ago, Preservation was ready for the next step. In …
By Randall H. Borkus Rating: A Richard Thomas, is my friend, managing editor and the owner of the online magazine The Whiskey Reviewer. He released a book last month called Whiskey Stories: The True Spirit Behind the Labels. This is not Thomas’ first book, so here we have a seasoned, or shall I say well-aged …
